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25.4.09

We're set for the main event in Puerto Rico with electrifying Juan Manuel Lopez taking on crafty veteran Gerry Penalosa.

Lopez is 24-0 with 22 KOs, and he's knocked out ten opponents in the last two years. His last three foes failed to make it out of the first round.

Penalosa is a former super flyweight titleholder and is 54-6 with 36 KOs. He's 11 (or more) years older than Lopez, but the two men are just about even in height, weight and reach.

Penalosa comes to the ring first. Lopez gets a showy entrance and his Puerto Rican fans give him a lot of love.

Michael Buffer does his thing on the introductions. We're all set to go for the WBO super bantamweight title.

Round 1

Penalosa flicks some jabs. Juanma finds the range with some short punches. Lopez lands a left to the body. Nice combo to the head and body by Juanma. Penalosa has to duck low to avoid a series of punches. Lopez is warned for a low shot. He goes back to work and the ref warns Penalosa for something. Lopez lands to the body and head but does take a few shots back.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 2

Jabs coming from Juanma. Both men score in close and Penalosa stumbles a bit. Wicked multi-punch combo from Lopez. He's firing from all angles. Penalosa stands his ground and gamely fires back. Straight right from Lopez. Sweet action in the middle of the ring. They turn in circles and Lopez gets the best of it. Now some counter shots score from Juanma right before the bell.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 3

Lopez reaches and Penalosa jabs. The crowd roars as Penalosa is hit along the ropes. A straight left crashes home for Juanma. Gerry has to cover up as punches continue to rain toward him. Lopez digs more hooks to the body. They stand at close range and Juanma lands a good right. A slugfest breaks out and Penalosa shows tons of heart.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 4

Juanma is quicker to the punch in the opening seconds. A left hook catches Gerry in the head. He ducks a series of punches and looks for his own angle. Lopez triples up on left hooks to the body. Penalosa fights off the ropes and trades. Lopez works a combo and bounces away. He scores again with multiple hooks. Both men throw all the way to the bell.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 5

Juanma is averaging over 100 punches a round and landing roughly 40 percent. Penalosa has a heck of a chin, that's for sure. Both men stand and swing but Lopez is landing more punches with more power. He comes forward behind two hooks. The fans start a "Juanma" chant. It's the proverbial fight in a phone booth with right hands scoring for both fighters. Nice work along the ropes and Penalosa isn't backing down.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 6

Lopez tees off in the corner and the fans react. Penalosa gets hit with hooks to the body and head. Lennox Lewis wants more distance from Juanma to deliver more power. Penalosa scores with some right hooks but that's his only effective punch. A right and left stun Gerry. Lopez smells blood and turns up the pressure. Give credit to Penalosa for continuing to at least try to throw back. Combo work in the corner by Juanma. Gerry got pounded in that round.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 7

Freddie Roach tells Penalosa he may have to stop it if Gerry takes that many shots again. Nice right by Penalosa and he ties up. Lopez steps back and delivers with both hands. Juanma gallops across the ring and stays in Penalosa's face. Now Gerry tries a combo of his own. He dances a bit as Lopez tries to track him down. Both men stand and trade in the corner. Quite a show of determination from Penalosa, but he hasn't won any rounds yet.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 8

Juanma actually asked his corner if he was winning. Um, yes. Lopez digs to the body and head. Penalosa goes downstairs and it may have been low. Uppercut from Juanma. He presses forward and Penalosa lands a counter right. They brawl at close range again. Great action as both men throw combinations. Max Kellerman is in disbelief that Gerry is still in there trading. Sharp right by Penalosa. Juanma responds with hooks and the crowd is roaring.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Round 9

Roach tells Penalosa this is it: he needs a KO or he's stopping it. Lopez steps on the gas with right hooks. Gerry bounces but he isn't finding much offense. Juanma comes forward and they swing away in the corner again. Penalosa eats some shots and fires his own hooks. Now he lands one and here comes a barrage from Juanma. More fireworks and a big miss by Gerry.

Franchise: 10-9 LopezUatu: 10-9 LopezSpartan117: 10-9 Lopez

Penalosa wants to continue, but Roach looks out for his man and tells the ref he wants it stopped. Kellerman says it was perfect timing. Gerry showed a ton of guts and may have had a puncher's chance, but he was taking too much consistent punishment.

The winner by TKO at the end of Round 9... and still WBO super bantamweight champion... Juan Manuel Lopez.